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Archive for the ‘MIKE VICK. What’s your opinion?’ Category

I have a friend who sent me a video of a new born kitten she found. It was barely alive and was covered with fleas, ticks and hungry. She brought it home and nursed it back to health. She will be taking it to the veterinarian this week. My friend owns a Pit Bull. When the kitten and the Pit Bull met they clicked. She took some footage of the interaction. Keep in mind that her dog is NOT nursing but was willing to allow this kitten to enjoy what she had to offer anyway. My friend also has a young daughter. The child and dog get along very well together

This is an example of how loving the Pit Bull really is. I decided to do a piece on this breed. I have found that a lot of people have no idea about this dog. If you say, “Pit Bull” most people become fearful and think of fighting and danger. Until the Mike Vick incident, a lot of people never realized how common fighting rings are in communities across the U.S. I assume it is the same in other countries.

Here are the names of people you might know, who have all owned Pit Bulls:

The purebred American Pit Bull is America’s greatest working dog. They have their roots in “Olde England”, where butchers specifically bred “gripping dogs” for use in controlling bulls and cattle. No other breed had (or has) the courage and determination to stick to the dangerous task of controlling a mad bull. The dog’s desire to complete the task of holding the bull often saved his master and other humans. In the middle ages, there were no guns or easy means to control a bull. These dogs were highly prized and carefully bred heroes.

These bull dogs (not to be confused with the modern AKC show version “bulldog”) were used in exhibition contests against bulls called bull baiting. When bull baiting was outlawed in the 1800’s, bulldogs were contested against each other, seeing which dog had the determination and drive to keep at the task in the face of pain, fatigue and even death. Because two handlers and a referee were in the pit with the dogs, the breed was selected for amazing stability;a calm, friendly manner with people….even under extreme pressure. Dogs which lashed out at humans, even strangers, while fighting or in pain were not tolerated.

The pit bull’s athletic build and legendary determination to get the job done makes him a perfect candidate for detection work. Nothing deters him, heat, cold, fatigue, etc. If drugs or explosives are there, the Pit Bull will find them. It’s in his nature.

Today’s American Pit Bull

The American Pit Bull has a strong pleasure to please. They have more human emotional response than any other breed that exists today. By no means are these dogs people-haters or people-eaters. Their natural aggressive tendencies are toward other dogs and animals, not people. If they are trained properly they are not aggressive with other dogs or animals either.

The pit bull enjoyed wide popularity during the period of 1840 – 1950 as a family pet and farm dog. At the turn of the last century, the pit bull was one of the most popular of dogs. Pete the Pup on the Little Rascals Our Gang comedies was a purebred, registered American pit bull.

The Pit Bull is a good-natured, amusing, extremely loyal and affectionate family pet, which is good with children and adults. Almost always obedient, it is always eager to please its master. It is an extremely courageous and intelligent guard dog that is very full of vitality. Highly protective of his owners and the owner’s property, it will fight an enemy to the death. It is usually very friendly, but has an uncanny ability to know when it needs to protect and when everything is okay. They are generally okay with other pets if they are raised with them from puppy hood. They are not good match with every owner. They need to know who is boss in the house. If someone is meek and lets the dog take over, and doesn’t know how to discipline properly, the dog will think it’s the owner.

The Pit Bull has been exploited by back yard breeders, criminals, dog fighters and others who abuse the breed’s amazing strengths for their own selfish gain. The press encourages fear and hysteria because fear sells. In addition to the Mick Vick incident, whenever someone is hurt by a strong, broad, short haired dog it is reported that the breed was a Pit Bull. In reality, the dogs might be another breed that looks very similar to a Pit Bull because of their build.

Professional dog trainers, and those who know the breed, understand that the properly bred and raised Pit Bull is one of the sweetest dogs with people. Although, most Pit Bulls will not back down from a challenge from another dog.

Pit Bulls don’t see strangers as a threat or “the enemy”. Each person is a “new best friend”! This makes them ideal for those situations where a non-threatening dog is required.

Why We Use Pit Bulls

With Homeland Security concerns elevated, the need for explosives and narcotics detection dogs for law enforcement is increasing. There are programs that connect cops with outstanding working dogs – many of whom might otherwise be euthanized for lack of a home.

Because they are a “fad breed” right now, there are literally thousands of pit bulls being euthanized in American shelters every week. There simply aren’t enough homes, and breeders keep breeding to make money. Many of the Pt Bulls are being used adopted from shelters and used as working dogs with police and military.

Taxpayers should know about these issues. Find out if police departments in your area utilize free, or low cost, animals before they spend several thousand on an untrained “green” dog from Europe or a dog vendor. There is a myth that there is a shortage of good detection dogs in America. This is simply not true. It is time people became aware of this breed and others in this country. We should learn more about our own, American, working breed and use them accordingly.

“Sometimes you never really know someone like you think you do. Can you believe Mike Vick could do such horrific things to so many innocent dogs? There is no reason to ever treat another animal, or human, like that. I hope the world will learn from Mike’s actions and I hope Mike really does feel compassion for other living things /beings. My mission is to show the connection between animals and humans then have people take positive action in their own way.”